20 cities earning most tourist dollars in the world

It is well established that the hospitality industry, the transport industry and food and beverage catering industry, among others, are the primary and direct beneficiaries of the demand created by international visitors.

20 cities earning most tourist dollars in the world

International visitors to a destination city also seek new and rewarding experiences, especially in the arts, popular culture and entertainment, as well as historical and heritage sites unique to the city.

20 cities earning most tourist dollars in the world

These visitors and their spending are therefore powerful catalysts for nurturing and driving the growth of creative industries and urban cultures, while preserving the past in ways that uniquely contribute to the attractiveness of the city in question.

20 cities earning most tourist dollars in the world

With the right policy responses, a virtuous circle can be set in motion; more international visitors leading to more and better investment to improve the cityscape and the overall urban environment, which in turn makes the destination city more attractive to more international visitors.

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Image: A view of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, in Dubai.Photographs: Mosab Omar/Reuters

20 cities earning most tourist dollars in the world

Thus, in a slower-growing global economy, destination cities could play a much larger role in sustaining global service trade while supporting their respective national economies through stronger growth in employment and income in their urban economies.